Side clicky flashlight advice please

Hello Gentlemen..... and ladies whose names begin with A,

I’ve been researching single 18650 flashlights for my next purchase.

Not 100% set on the characteristics but good throw and a bit of short range spill would be useful.

There’s already plenty of information on flashlights that fit those requirements but unfortunately being the difficult tit that I am, I have set my heart on a side clicky/switch.

This has seriously limited my choice as it seems not many manufacturers make side mounted ones any more, apart from Maglite of course.

The only semi decent options I found all have internal charging features which are a bit of a concern.

Could anyone please tell me if there is anything I should be wary of with the following flashlights and would their modding potential be limited by the internal chargers?

Also a bit of a long shot but I don’t suppose anyone knows if the internal charging circuitry could be removed easily as I doubt I’d ever use it anyway?

CREE Led 800 Lm Rechargeable K88 Flashlight Torch Lamp

CREE Q2 3-Mode Flashlight With Box +2*Charger +1*18650 Battery for Police

Unbranded;
CREE P4 3-Mode Rechargeable Flashlight with AC/Car Charger

I like the design of these, look like they'd have good external heat dissipation but can’t really class them as budget flashlights, not much detail on the emitters either.

3-Mode 200 Lumens 1x18650 CREE Q3

130 Lumens 3-Mode 1x18650 CREE

If anyone has seen any similar please let me know?

Thanks,

Gary

Hey there Gary,

Do you care about modes? This one looks nice and fairly affordable: http://www.qualitychinagoods.com/3mode-lumens-cree-q312-signal-flashlight-fcxg01-p-1730.html

Here's an affordable Romisen 18650 with side switch: http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.5976

And two more that are a bit more expensive:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26993

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.39474

Still, from what I see above, a side switch costs you around 15$ and limits you to inefficient LEDs (around P4-Q3)... OK, excluding monsters like Olight Intimidator, but that's not a budget light ;)

Thanks very much for the suggestions Admin, I might have gone for that G&R light, despite the bling, if it didn’t have those multiple LEDs.

It looks like Anduril is correct, the price premium isn’t too much of an issue for me but judging by the comments and reviews it does seem like pretty much all of the side switched 18650 lights are very old models, hence the ageing inefficient emitters.

I bet if I ordered any of them I’d find that they were no longer available.

I know I’m being a total breast implant but as I’m still learning about the different emitters, reflectors and lenses, a large part of my decision making is being driven by looks for now.

If it had a side clicky I would jump at the Solarforce Skyline I as I really like the style of it......oh and it just happens to be a really good performer as well.

I was just about to ignore my budget and buy a Luma Power MRV SK (Side Kick) until I found out that the side switch only controls the modes and you still have to turn it off and on at the tail.

Perhaps it is time to start a Maglite style 1 or 2 x 18650 modding project.

These are cheap enough that I wouldn’t worry about making a mess of them as I learned.

http://www.lightake.com/detail.do/sku.ZY_112_5W_3xC_Flashlight_Torch_Black-26967

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.8347

As for the Olight Intimidator I’ll buy 2 and put them on my Amex Black card, I’ll set you up with one as well if you like Anduril? :-D

Nah, one is not enough to pretend I'm Darth Maul... care to send me two? ;)

EDIT: OK, to convince you - I would send you my Skylines in exchange... deal?

I'm not very informed on the high end light arena but from my quick research of the Olight Intimidator it occurs to me if you really want a light saber may be try taking off the head and then poking the battery pack with a sharp object? I don't know how well the can be disassembled but if you can get access to the raw battery pack positive and negative you could try shorting them for the same effect. Needless to say you should actually try this unless you're applying for the Darwin Awards in which case remember to do it in a very secluded location (perhaps a desert?) so you don't hurt anyone else (which will disqualify you, amongst other things)

OK, it's not a thrower. No lightsaber for me :(

Rather a light-shooting BFG9000... in this case one is enough :D

The BFG9000...............Oh what memories. :)

Lol, how did this thread get onto fictitious computer game weaponry.

I decided against getting an Intimidator funnily enough and went ahead and ordered one of these off ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CREE-Q4-300LM-LED-FLASHLIGHT-LAMP-LIGHT-TORCH-3-AAA-K7B-/220589562996

Maybe try may hand at upgrading the internals.

I also ordered one of the internal charger ones simply because I liked the look of it.......I’ll get my coat.

Looked ok till the postage

Yeah, I’ve never sold anything on ebay but it looks like maybe either the listing fee or Paypal fee is calculated on the item price only, excluding the postage so the seller has transferred most of the cost over to the postage to pay less in fees.

Still, can’t complain about the service ‘so far’, flashlights ordered at 7pm Wednesday and received notification at 9am Thursday saying they have been shipped.

Not expecting much from the them but as long as the build quality is reasonably good I’ll be content.

I like it - lots of light, you can see a review here

http://www.jayki.com/?mid=flashlight_review_board&category=463&page=2&document_srl=1038

I live my one. You can find quite a few beamshots for it knocking around here.

Hi Don,

Hope you’re enjoying your holiday.

I did come across that one, looks ideal but it’s just a bit more than I can justify spending, also a bit intimidating strangely enough.

Definitely one for the list though, along with one of those big Auroras/Ultrafires you have but definitely not the Varapower......well maybe.

This appeared just a few seconds ago. #62

Might be worth a look. From the look of the reflector it'll throw for miles. Not ultra budget - it is $5 more than the HS-802 and is longer as it has to be to accommodate the side switch.

Comes with a battery though

http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=10928

Ultrafire HT-802

http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductId=10929

These should be good throwers.

Are those supposed to be blue led's or something?

3xAAA but nice looking http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.16146#open%20full%20view